This part of my blog is all about the things I collect or the things I make myself. I love so many things, I paint and draw and want to learn oils and pastels. I knit and crochet but want to learn tatting. I embroider and can turn my hand to most things given a chance. So much still to learn and do. I live in hope of some day reading all my books, learning all I want to learn and now I am learning to blog. You will often find my original poems, poor as they are I offer them here. I also appreciate other people art and will feature things I find that I have enjoyed. That includes pictures of fairies and fantasy or maybe just anything beautiful.

I try to use my own photo's as much as possible, sometimes I borrow from the web. If I inadvertently use your picture without giving credit, please do let me know and I will either credit or remove it, I hope you will do the same with mine.

If you wish to leave comments on my blog you can do that by joining google if you do not have a blog yourself, please comment if you can I appreciate that.

Monday, March 12, 2018

I am still making cards and probably will for some time. I will keep posting pictures on the blog for a record of what I am doing. I sent one out today for Raylene's birthday.
It was not at first supposed to be a birthday card but I liked it and I thought she might like it. It's Raylene's 16th birthday, but she is not really 16 mentally yet. Raylene is the child with the brain damage from her Mothers boyfriend. She had the shaken baby syndrome. The guy went to jail for that and is now free, Raylene still suffers. She is doing well all considered, and it's hard to believe she is 16 now, they had not thought she would survive. Anyhow, a card is on the way to her. This is a detail.
I love the glitter.
If I am going to send cards to friends then I think I want to make more in the sewing theme. So I did these two. I will have to come up with more designs. So far I prefer the wreath to any others, but here are the latest two.
I am not fond of either of those but there is a base idea I can work with maybe.
I have done a couple of Mushroom cards that I really like, they are based on those by Annsdoodles. They are different but her idea.
I also like doing Hummingbirds and there are two versions I have been playing with on that theme. To this one I added more bubbles and liked that, but I still prefer borders on the pictures.
This is the 2nd one
Again, with borders maybe they would be a lot better. I now have quite a pile of cards done. I won't be using most of them but they will be a record of ideas and experiments and its fun. I also enjoy doing sun. I thought I might work on this idea and do seasons........
I like that idea and will work with that.
At least out of the whole load there are a couple of ideas that I like and will work with. I will work on a line of the ones I can actually like and enjoy doing. I may try to get rid of the extras in my yard sale in the Spring. No skin off my nose and will give me an idea if people like them.
So thats all for now. Sharing with Make it Pretty Monday at the Dedicated House

Saturday, February 24, 2018

I just can't stop. I have actually made a few that I like. Cards that is. I sent one to a friend for her birthday. So far, the ones I have sent out got no response so I am not sure if people just think I am cheap sending home made, or if they actually liked them. Time will tell I suppose. I think I will keep going as long as I am enjoying doing it, build up a base so that if I do decide to sell I will have more than a couple to put on an Etsy site.
The process is changing somewhat. I am coming up with a couple of themes that work for me. One is sewing, I can send those to friends who enjoy what I do, quilting. I also have done some wreaths that I like and they can be framed or sent as a card because they are blank inside. So what do I have that's new.................first this one, the initial drawing and then two versions of the card.
I wish you could see the glitter on the wings
2nd version, and one that I am going to make several of. They will all be a little different because they are hand drawn.
I like the colours and the theme with the roses. I may be able to spin a few versions from this idea.
This is one of the sewing theme cards
I did get the idea somewhere but I did it from memory and so it is not really a "copy" of anything.
This one speaks for itself. An ice cream cone with a lot of glitter
It needed something though so........maybe a border? Looking at it on here, I am going to add some shading on the cherries in the corner.
So what about this one? Does it need a border? I keep looking at it but have not come up with anything yet
Sewing themes
I like both of those, so now I have 3 variations on that theme that I can make better as I go on.
Balloons are a safe theme for a birthday card
So how many ideas can I come up with? Stars are one thing I like so here is a card of stars
This one is too amature but I like the idea so will try this again maybe.
Then this idea comes from Annsdoodles as I have mentioned before. I love her work she has such imagination. I am developing mine, so from watching her, I can get my own ideas. I claim this idea as my own because I did something similar many years ago
So there we have it, coming up with new ideas. I have been going to my sketch books. There were some very simple figures that I sort of liked and this was one. She needs some blush on her cheeks.
Then the Unicorn, I wish you could see the glitter. I put glitter on as many cards as I can
Well that's it for today, I will try to do some more originals ideas on the sewing/quilting theme. I like that one.

Friday, February 2, 2018

I am making progress. I have and am enjoying making cards. It was a long time coming. Over the years I bought stamps and things to do stamping but there is something about that.......I am not sure I enjoy it, to me it seems like faking. I like to draw, so stopped. Always intended to get back to it. I spent enough money on supplies heaven knows. Still, they will always be there and maybe some day I will get back to it. I collected lots of paper products, cards and envelopes and extras. Meanwhile I am now drawing my own pictures and I may find the stamps useful to do the inside with things like "Happy Birthday"
So I did another Butterfly it does not show well, the colours are vivid and the enhancements do not stand out.
I added the extras using the texture paints and glitter. This next one I showed before but was not happy with it. I added a border.
I saw a photo of an Elephant on Pinterest. This is my version of it.
This is my picture of Esther The Wonder Pig wearing her sunglasses........or at least some piggy.
I am getting some of my ideas from pictures I have done in my sketch books. I do see things on Pinterest that inspire me to do something. I don't copy but do my own version of the subject.
The cottage I will do in different seasons, it will look nice with snow.
I am not really sure what I can use this one for, not really the right subject matter for a card.
I really don't know what I will do with this one, a quick sketch to work on.
A few more I completed this evening.
I did this one again, actually it's different. I moved the bee and the flowers are different. Ah well, it's hard to keep coming up with ideas.
It all starts with a sketch.
Well that's it for now. I have quite a collection now. When I get to the end of this project I will see what progress was made and wonder if I will come up with some to sell. I doubt it but at least I won't need to buy any cards for awhile.
Sharing with make it pretty monday at the Dedicated House

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

This is fun, I am really enjoying making cards. Unfortunately I will have to touch some up as they are just not exactly what I envision. Still, I am just starting. Do I really want to send these out to people? That I am not at all sure of.
Out of all I have done, I only really like a couple of them. I do like this one. It may need a little more sparkle.

This fairy is way too stiff. I like the idea of it but somehow I need to soften her up. I will keep trying.
It's a hard thing to judge what is "realistic" and what is just a sketch. I am not happy with that one anyway. The next may need a touch of sparkle. I saw this somewhere and need to make it mine. I think it would be useful.
I actually do like this one. Not sure what it will be yet but I like the concept
This one started as a Christmas card with just the mail box. It just was not enough. So I did add the kids playing and the girl with the letter to mail.
I still like this idea and have added some sparkle to it. Its a fun one to draw. Not sure if anyone would like it though. Guess they will keep it if they do or throw it away. Either way.
My friend Debbie has started to get into drawing and painting. Debbie is a stroke survivor and is progressing a bit at a time. She is my ex son in law's 2nd wife. He divorced her and is now with #3. Well she was still in their home until it sold and now is in town in an apartment. It's closer to where I live so I try to get over to see her when I can. I am going to take some paints over for her. She wanted to try to draw an owl so I made this one for her. She can then see that she can do this quite easy, at least to begin with.
I sort of like this idea but it's not really mine. Annsdoodles did something simular. However I have done it before in the past so is it my idea? or will it be seen as copy? Hmmmmmm. Hard to tell but in any case it needs tweaking. I am not selling them so at this point I don't think it matters.
For now I am just playing around but it would be nice to try to sell some some day.

Friday, January 26, 2018

I found this site a long time ago but now have become hooked. Annsdoodles. She, well, she doodles. It is a lot more than that though. She has such an imagination and such talent. I have bought several of her cards. I really want to study her techniques. She has been very helpful in giving me tips on products. I will show some of my efforts. Not to be compared to hers.
I am making generic cards at the moment. The one above may be Birthday? I like the next one better. I will put some sparkle on the bees wings I think.
Both of those are based on ideas by Annsdoodles. I must come up with original ideas but meanwhile I need practice.
This one is more original although as it came from my sketchbook, it may be someone else's idea. I did not copy it though so in a way it is original.
The next two are Valentines, sort of. I made one for Reina to send later
If all goes well, maybe I can make Christmas cards for next year.
This next one I just sent to my cousin Robin in England. Robin is dying, he may have a week or two at most. I made this to send him love. I hope that he gets it in time.
Then there is this little girl, this one is unfinished. I am not sure where I want to go with it yet.
This is the last one for now
That's it for now. I have lots of improving to do. They don't look so good when I go back and look at them again. Certainly not compared to Ann's. Ah well, it is fun fun for now. I still have that pile of quilts sitting there that needs attention soon.
Sharing with Make it Blue Friday
I think these may be finished now.
Sharing with A dedicated House Make it pretty Monday